Here's a look at the past. Items have been culled from The Chronicle's archives of 25, 50, 75 and 100 years ago.

1985

July 25: A wine joke by comedian Robin Williams simply could not be taken seriously, and therefore cannot be a basis of a defamation suit, the state Court of Appeals ruled yesterday. Williams during a performance in San Francisco, said, "There are white wines and there are red wines, but why are there no black wines - like Reggie, a m-----------. It goes with fish, meat - any damn thing it wants to." The joke prompted David H. Regge, owner of a North Beach jug wine company called Regge (pronounced "Reggie") Wine to sue for slander. Regge claimed business had fallen off after the videotape of Williams' performance was released. A Napa County judge agreed the lawsuit had merit and cleared the way for Regge to go to trial. But yesterday, ruling on an appeal by Williams, the appellate court rejected it. "Suggestions that the hypothetical wine is ... black in color, goes with anything 'it' damn well pleases or is 'tough' are obviously figments of a comic imagination impossible for any sensible person to take seriously," wrote Justice Anthony Kline for the court. "To hold otherwise would run afoul of the First Amendment and chill the free speech rights of all comedy performers and humorists to the genuine detriment of our society."

1960

July 25: Mr. O is one octopus that was captured with loving arms. Except that he may be Mrs. O. Dr. Earl Herald, curator of Steinhart Aquarium, has not had time to check. "But because he was taken with such tender care without a bruise on his body, he may outlive the usual eight-months' life expectancy of an octopus in captivity at the aquarium," Dr. Herald said. Why do they die so quickly? Dr. Herald gave a wry smile. "If I knew the answer to that question, I would be the richest man in octopusdom." His capture, off Stewarts Point on the northern Sonoma coast, involved an ingenious example of underwater enterprise. Octopuses love crabs, and Mr. O's presence was first detected by a pile of empty crab shells. He was then spotted lurking in an underwater tunnel, open at both ends, by a skin-diving team. Led by Steinhart collector Walter Schneebeli, a team of amateur divers prepared two Bull Durham bags filled with copper sulphate, a substance octopuses hate. While three of them held a gunny sack at one end of the tunnel, the others fired the Bull Durham grenades into the other end. Mr. O shot into the gunny sack and a new life in the Steinhart Aquarium. The largest of his kind ever to reside in Golden Gate Park, Mr. O, with his waving arms, purplish body and yellow staring eyes, could grow to weigh 120 pounds with 18-foot tentacles.

1935

July 26: Discovery of a patch of the potent narcotic marijuana, smoked in cigarettes, in the heart of San Francisco was announced yesterday by William G. Walker, director of the State Narcotic Division. The patch, located in the front yard of a house at 901 22nd St., was discovered by Inspector Bernard Blonder and was in full bloom. Its current retail value, on the basis of 25 cents per cigarette, was estimated at about $1,000. After a wait of several hours, they placed Robert Gotti, 915 Twenty-Second Street, under arrest. Gotti admitted possession of the weed and told officers that about three months ago it was given to him by a Mexican, who promised that the plant would grow beautiful flowers. He said he had never seen the Mexican since. The arresting officers also found 50 gallons of untaxed liquor in Gotti's residence. He is charged on both counts.

July 27: Bing Crosby wants to settle down on the San Francisco peninsula and raise horses. Crosby is negotiating to buy Edward Perry's estate in Atherton. The attractive, 15-acre estate includes a two-story house, stables and a race track. A number of horses have trained on the property, including the famous Phar Lap, who died there mysteriously. The asking price is $75,000.

1910

July 30: There was a dearth of County Jail cases in the Superior Court yesterday, owing to the smallpox scare and the resulting quarantine. Judge Frank Dunne, however, was not to be frightened by a little thing like a deadly contagious disease, and ordered J.J. Enos to appear before him for sentence for passing a fictitious check. Enos was present and sought to allay the nervousness of those compelled to sit near him by explaining that he frequented a different part of the jail from where the smallpox germs held revel. No action was taken, however, toward sending Enos across the bay, where there are spirits less fearless than Judge Dunne. Neither Folsom nor San Quentin is said to be anxious to receive Enos at present, notwithstanding the distance between his cell and the camping ground of the contagion. A postponement was therefore allowed. {sbox}